The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

San Francisco stuntwoman Darcy Lott (Power Slide, 2010, etc.) learns the burden of responsibility that comes from saving someone’s life.

On her way to meet her brother, Mike, back home after 20 years away, Darcy spots a jumper on the walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge. Athletic Darcy wrestles the young woman from the railing only to see her disappear into the fog. To help find the jumper before she can try again, Darcy enlists Mike and her police officer brother, John. But it isn’t until she hooks up with shady Declan Serrano, who keeps peace in the Mission District by methods that don’t follow San Francisco PD protocol, that she’s able to track down Tessa Jurovik. Tessa works at a high-end copy shop by day and sleeps in a building owned by a bagpiper whose practice keeps his tenants awake all night. Is it those midnight bagpipe sessions that prompt Tessa to swipe a credit card from socialite Varine Adamé and hole up in the Presidential Suite of the swanky Mark Hopkins? Or is it the mysterious influx of cash that also allows the former bike messenger to purchase a pricey new ride? Whatever the reason, Darcy ignores her Zen master’s admonition to live in the moment and trains her sights on the future that she’s afraid Tessa won’t live to see.

As her plot thrusts forward, Dunlap’s terse style battles her complex storyline, with a result more ZipCar than Zen.

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